Unlike the already established large organizations, which tend to oppose taking big risks and already have a detailed process set in place, startups are considered to be risk takers. Big companies use the typical “waterfall” methodology in order to manage their project. Startups, however, often tend to be a lot more disruptive when creating a product or a service in this incredibly competitive market, as those products and services need to be innovative and never before seen in order to be successful. This is where Agile and its core development principles come into play.
What exactly is Agile?
Agile represents an iterative, time-boxed approach originally designed to improve software development. Using Agile, software is built incrementally from the very start of the project, instead of rushing to deliver the finished product once the deadline approaches. The project itself is broken down into smaller tasks, which are later prioritized and continuously delivered in two week periods, which are called iterations.
The system has proven to be so effective in other areas besides software development that many large brands and businesses have started implementing the Agile framework into their existing business and more and more startups are incorporating it from the day one.
What makes Agile different from other business models?
Agile ensures that work is moving forward quickly. This allows for a continuous value delivery to the customers and ensures that workers stay on track by using neatly organized checkpoints and feedback loops.
Agile provides a scheduling alternative to traditional business models that is defined by fixed-length sprints which guarantee that the task at hand will get delivered as soon as its ready. Furthermore, growing teams can use Agile to specify different workload capacities for different capabilities, as in order to maximize the work efficiency and deliver the end-result as soon as possible.
All this is made possible by the Agile manifesto. This is a set of 12 principles which emphasizes interactions and individuals over tools and processes, working product over comprehensive documentation, collaboration with customers over contract negotiations and responding and adapting to change instead of blindly following a plan.
Although software development and business development are two completely different worlds, Agile brings them closer together in terms of how workload needs to be handled in order to provide business owners and developers with optimal results.
Why is Agile so appealing to startups?
With Agile, startups can concentrate on creating value instead of planning to do so with an overly-complicated business plan. This considerably lowers the time needed to deliver the product and in turn, saves a lot of resources.
Furthermore, Agile values customer revenues as opposed to external funding, as they present the best evidence that the “problem” is adequately solved. This makes a lot of sense, as the best way to find out what customers want out of a product is to ask them directly instead of blindly fulfilling financier’s wishes.
Most startups end up deviating from their original plan. This is perfectly understandable, as the majority of information needed for the startup strategy to succeed only becomes available once the products or the service has been already launched.
Simply following a plan from start to finish isn’t going to cut it, particularly when, and not if, the product or a service needs to be altered in any way. The agile system presents the startups and business owners with the ability to quickly respond and adjust their original plans and “iterate”, or segment all the necessary changes.
And there’s the aspect of developing a product well instead of simply creating it to make a sale. Picnet Software development experts advise you follow this rule closely, as it is what separates mediocre startups from the really innovative and passionate ones.
Passionate startups pour hours and hours of work into their products and services out of pride and the sheer desire to make them last, instead of simply creating them to turn a profit. Finally, Agile is excellent for cultivating a productive team environment and allows for group-oriented startups to delegate work more efficiently and finish it within the iteration time-frame.
Agile For Startups
Granted, the Agile principles make the development process a lot easier, effective and manageable. It promotes continuous value delivery and customer satisfaction, ensures that the updates are rolled in short time increments and insists on collaborating with the customers at every step of the development process. But bear in mind that the traditional, waterfall style of project management isn’t going away just yet. Both of these methodologies provide great value and both of them will continue to be applied in business development in the future. However, Agile provides at methodology which, when followed appropriately, ensures your startup will grow and improve over time, maintain the relationship with existing customers and attract new ones to invest in your products and services.
